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Possible Ceres bow shock surfaces based on fluid models
Author(s) -
Jia Y.D.,
Villarreal M. N.,
Russell C. T.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9402
pISSN - 2169-9380
DOI - 10.1002/2016ja023712
Subject(s) - bow shock (aerodynamics) , shock (circulatory) , magnetohydrodynamic drive , physics , solar wind , atmosphere (unit) , mechanics , shock wave , magnetohydrodynamics , computational physics , meteorology , plasma , nuclear physics , medicine
The hot electron beams that Dawn detected at Ceres can be explained by fast‐Fermi acceleration at a temporary bow shock. A shock forms when the solar wind encounters a temporary atmosphere, similar to a cometary coma. We use a magnetohydrodynamic model to quantitatively reproduce the 3‐D shock surface at Ceres and deduce the atmosphere characteristics that are required to create such a shock. Our most simple model requires about 1.8 kg/s, or 6 × 10 25 /s water vapor production rate to form such a shock. Such an estimate relies on characteristics of the solar wind‐Ceres interaction. We present several case studies to show how these conditions affect our estimate. In addition, we contrast these cases with the smaller and narrower shock caused by a subsurface induction. Our multifluid model reveals the asymmetry introduced by the large gyroradius of the heavy pickup ions and further constrains the IMF direction during the events.